Strong as a Dragon
by Aelmira Romani
Summary: They met on their first day of kindergarten, and from that day on she was his Zoe and he was her Duncan. But the past lurks to catch up with them. and no amount of scary movie training or " vedel perse" can save them now.
1. I've got NO-Buddy

My first day of kindergarten, I remember feeling so small. The hallways were so long and intimidating, the cool stone building reminding me that I had been ripped away from my safe haven filled with Barney and Aunt Mellis' hugs that smelled like perfume and Mac and cheese. I looked up at mommy and squeezed her hand, she looked down at me and smiled "this is it zo" she pointed to a door that was covered in paper daisies. "see what does the sign say, try and read it with mommy M-I-S-S D-U-P-R-E-E, G-R-A-D-E K-I-N-D-E-R-G-A-R-T-EN" I nodded along as melli read, the letters just looked like lines. Just then a lady came to the door, she had a yellow flower dress and a bunny pin, she was pretty with yellow hair unlike Melli's black hair, but her eyes were big and blue, she smiled at me, I hid behind mommy. "Hello, what's your name" I clung even harder to my mother. Melli answered for me "This is Zoe, Zoe come say hello" It took all my guts to chirp out a little squeaky "Hi". The Bunny pin lady spoke again "Why what a pretty name, I have a kitty named Zoe." This piqued my five year old interest "I like kitties." She smiled "what's your name" I asked growing bolder "My Name is Miss Dupree, would you like to come inside?" I looked at Melli and when she nodded I agreed. When I walked in Miss Dupree showed me my desk, it had a big lined strip at the top with more lines "see, this is your desk, it say Z-O-E" she then walked away to greet another kid. There was a desk attached to mine, it had more lines that I couldn't decipher. As kids funneled in I began to get nervous, other desks were filling up with two students each and the seat next to mine remained vacant. The bell had rung and I was still alone. Miss. Dupree began to speak. "Good morning my buzzing bees, please take your seats. Hello everyone, my name is Miss Dupree" a resounding "Hi Miss Dupree" was her answer "and this is Kindergarten class 3. Now we're going to take it nice and easy today, I know everyone's new so I want you to get to know one another. The person sitting next to you is your buddy for the year. You two will work to together, be buddies on field trips, and hopefully become friends. I want you to start by asking each other questions like what's your favorite color, do you have any pets, just get to know each other." That's when I began to panic. I had no buddy, I was buddy less. Everyone else had a buddy, just when I was panicking on my state of singularity there was a light knock at the door, Miss Dupree flitted over to open it, and in tumbled in him. He had thick black hair that was disheveled and needed a good combing. He wore long pants and a long sleeve shirt even though it was late august, and his blue eyes had a mischievous look about them while still looking sad. Miss Dupree just smiled down at him. "And what's your name?" he replied only half paying attention "Duncan Osmont". Miss Dupree just ruffled his messy hair "well hello Duncan, you can just go sit next to Zoe, Zoe, please raise your hand" I did. And he sauntered over, he plopped down and dropped his worn teenage mutant ninja turtle backpack on the floor, he just stared at me. I started to wish that I'd remained buddy-less. "Hi" I managed to squeak out "I'm Zoe" he just smirked "well I know that dumb- dumb, it says so on your desk. Are you stupid or something?" I didn't know what to say, I kind of wanted to cry, but I somehow managed to keep talking to him. "Miss Dupree says we need to get to know each other, you're s'posed to be my buddy for the year…" this caught his attention he raised his hand up high "Miss Dupree, I don't want a girl to be my buddy, she's stupid!" Miss Dupree whipped around "Duncan! You apologies right now! We do not call people stupid, it is not nice! And Zoe is a very nice girl, I'm sure you'll like her if you get the chance. But for now, apologize." He turned to me biting his lip, "sorry" he bit out in a very insincere way, but Miss Dupree seemed to buy it because she was back to walking around the classroom. Duncan just glared at me and whispered to me "you're not my buddy".

Days passed, according to Duncan I was buddy-less. He just stared at me while Miss Dupree taught or read to us. I was learning my alphermbet and I knew four whole letters by heart. A is for apple, B is for bumble bee, C is for Cat, and D is for Duncan who is a big mean stupid jerk. I was jolted out of my letter induced daydream by the recess bell. I hated recess, I had to watch all the other kids play and I just sat out by myself, I was afraid the other kids would call me stupid like Duncan did. Just then one of the bigger kids sauntered up to me he was large and sweaty. "Why don't you play with the other kids, you freak." I could only mumble incoherently "what, you can't talk, are you deaf or something?' some kids started to huddle around me the big one just kept going "you are a freak" and he pushed me onto the ground. "Freaks get beat" he began kicking my tummy, it hurt so bad, like I couldn't breathe, and then it stopped. I looked over and Duncan had the big bully on the ground and he just started pummeling him until his nose bled. I tried to get up and stop him, but when I did I only fell down again. This got Duncan's attention. He ran over to help me up. "th-thanks" I mumbled clutching my ribs biting back the urge to cry. He scratched his head and looked at me "If anyone ever tries to hurt you again, you come get me, ok?...and….I guess we can be buddies, I mean how else am I going to stop you from getting beat up…..well stop smiling, it's creepy." I was beaming ear to ear. I had a buddy.

Duncan and I were inseparable, we found out that we lived 7 houses away, so everyday Duncan would ask his mommy if he could come over, and everyday she would walk him over, so happy that he had made a friend. Duncan's mother was a frail looking skinny woman with thick brown curls that fell to her shoulders and the same green eyes as Duncan's, but hers lacked his mischievous glint. We would sit on my bedroom floor on my fuzzy purple rug, Duncan said it was girly, but he still wouldn't stop running his fingers through it. We talked about how both of us moved here and how he had a pet iguana named poncho. He said he had a big brother Dereck; he called Dereck a bad word. One day, when Duncan and me were at my house after school He said he moved here with his mommy and Dereck because his daddy was the boogeyman. I was confused "but you don't look like a boogeyman, boogeymen are s'posed to look scary, and you look too pretty to be a boogeyman" his green eyes lit up but then darkened "My daddy's a monster, so I must be one too." I took his small hand in my even tinier ones and looked him straight in the eyes "you aren't a monster, you are good, and monsters aren't good. You're not a scary monster, you're Duncan." He just looked at me like he was trying to figure something out; I made the same face when we were learning numbers. Then he looked down at our hands, I was still holding his hand in my. His sleeve hiked up a little and I saw something funny on his wrist, I pulled up his sleeve some more and saw big long yellowish marks on his wrist. He gasped and yanked his hand away. "What's wrong, did I hurt you." He held his arm and looked down at the floor. "What is that on your arm." He wouldn't answer, "Does it hurt?" he still held on to his arm and stared at the floor, he stayed quiet for a long time. I couldn't take it. I walked over and grabbed his arm, he tried to yank it back, but I wouldn't let go. When I started to push up his sleeve he started panicking and tried knocking my arms away from him until I pressed my little lips against the biggest of the yellow splotches. He stopped moving but was visibly tense. "What are you doing?" he asked puzzled. "Kissing it better." I kissed all of the blotches on his arms, and when I ran out of blotches to kiss he stepped back, I thought he was freaked out, but instead he pulled his shirt over his head and I saw them all, all the blotches, some were yellowish like the long ones on his skinny arms, but others were purple, some blue, and some had a green tinge. They were every where, some even over lapping. I kissed them all. From the purple circular one on his shoulder to the angry red spots on his left hip. And he let me. When I was done he did the strangest thing. He hugged me; he hugged me so tight he must've hurt himself in the process. And although I couldn't see his face I could hear he was crying. And although my first instinct was to panic. I just held him tighter and smoothed his hair as he cried.


	2. Dressing Wilhelm

_**12 years later**_

"Wake up star shine, the world says hello!" ….ugh too early "go away Duncan"

This was my life. I could feel the cool autumn breeze crawl into my room through my window. Duncan had climbed a tree into my room. That

clichéd little bitch. "Come on baby cakes; don't make me hop in bed with you." He. Wouldn't. Dare. Just as I was thinking that all I could see

was a flash of black as Duncan quite literally jumped into bed with me? I don't know when he took off his shoes but when he stabbed his legs

under my covers I could feel his icy feet press against my calf. "WHAT THE BLOODY SHIT DUNCAN!" I pushed him away with all my might and

he just laughed, not budging an inch. "Ooh baby, talk dirty to me." He said as he grinned up at me, his wicked green eyes glinting up at me

with the light green shade that was so bright yet so deep. I smacked him. Hard. Well hard for me, which is like a tap for him? "Ok sunshine, I

get the hint, no hanky panky so early in the afternoon" he said as he grinned some more. I somehow managed to get my body off the bed,

wincing as my feet hit the cool hard wood floor. I shot up rushing for my fluffy purple area rug to stop the cold from seeping in the soles of my

feet. Duncan gave a mock cat call from my bed staring at me in my black hello kitty tank top and hot pink flowered undies, my type of usual

night time garb. I threw him a look that screamed "you want to die today" he threw up his palms in mock surrender, but was still giggling. I

could feel his eyes on me as I bent down in my closet to search for some clean jeans and god willing a clean bra. His eyes scorched me; I

sensed he had zeroed in on my ass. He often told me that "God must have a sense of humor giving Zoe, of all people, the perfect ass" I knew

he was giving me a compliment but still. I looked over to him, sprawled out on my bed, he looked so large. He had changed so much from that

lanky pale little boy I knew. Now he was over 6'2, with big broad shoulders, and tanned lean muscles in his arms and chest. His thick black

brows made him look so serious, but his eyes made him look so youthful, it was a confusing combo. He had a crooked nose from a fight he got

in during our freshmen year, defending me from some jackass who tried to cop a feel. And his lips were pouty and almost always in the

position of a smirk. Yup, Duncan had turned up hot. It was weird. "I'm going to change, can you keep yourself occupied?" he was already

leafing through one of my cheesy Victorian romance novels, so I took that as a yes. When I walked into the bathroom I looked at myself in the

mirror, trying to see how I'd changed from that little girl I once was. I was 5'4, almost a foot shorter than Duncan, Well at least if I hadn't

grown up I'd certainly filled out. I wasn't being vain, but when Duncan said I had a nice butt, he wasn't lying; there was just a lot of it. I had

curves, I wasn't complaining, it was just irritating. Try finding pants if you're curvy. Then tops are either too tight across the chest or too loose

around the waist. Well anyway. My face thinned out, losing its baby fat. I was still pale as paper, my hair was still a wild mane of black frizzy

curls, and my eyes were still blue. Yup. All I did was grow an ass, I'm so accomplished. I was pulled from my self appraisal by Duncan shouting

at me through the door "What kind of name is Wilhelm, and how do you 'Devour someone' with a 'penetrating glance'" He is such an idiot. I

tugged on my jeans and hurried through my morning routine, but Duncan was having none of that "I'm bored zo! Shall I read to you to make

you hurry? 'Katrina was on the brink, ready to explode." Oh shit he found the sex scene **"Pray, allow me to feast my eyes with the touch and **

**perusal, feast my lips with kisses of the highest relish!** " He even had his voice go up the octave, mimicking the heroine's cries of passion. I

burst through the door "are you trying to wake up Mellie? She had a long shift last night, fuckwad" he just smirked and returned to his breathy

lady voice "oh, Wilhelm, please do not be cross with me" I had to smile. This was my best friend.

_**Dear reader, if you exist, thank you.**_

_**thank you for clicking, and thanking for trying this story**_

_**~A. Roma**_


	3. Gummy bear nightmares

"So what do you want to do today" we were sitting on my bed. Duncan found my stash of gummy bears and was currently picking through all

the green ones. "Uhmm I don't know, you pick, I'm down for anything." He mulled it over for a minute. "Well we could set the school on fire,

but then my mom might get angry. I vote horror movie night." I grinned "sounds like a plan, I'll make popcorn" I ran downstairs to the kitchen

to get our snacks and saw Millie pouring herself a cup of coffee. I lived with my aunt Millie, she had been raising me on her own since before I

could remember. It was always just me and my Millie, I know she was my father's sister but she was like my own mother and sister rolled in

one. "Hey honey bunch, whets going on?" Millie asked me sipping from her steaming mug, careful not to drop it on her fuzzy pink robe or killer

bunny slippers. "Nothing much, Duncan's upstairs, I think we're going to have a horror movie marathon."

"Oh, is he upstairs? I didn't hear him come in" she grinned at me. "Is he staying over tonight" any normal parental figure would shudder at the

thought of their 17 year old girl having her 17 year old male friend alone in their room, never mind sleep over. But this was Duncan. Ever since

we were kids we slept just as many nights as a sleepover as we did apart. At Duncan's his mom made me sleep on the couch. Millie was a lot

more liberal letting him stay in my room. Like I said like a mom and **sister.** Mostly a sister. "uhm I dunno Mellie, probably."

"ok honey, I have to work tonight so don't stay up too late, Dr. Jenks is demanding my darling presence." Millie winked. I think she thought me

and Duncan were more than "Just Friends" atleast she was cautious about it, she put me on the pill when I was just 15. "No promises Millie"

she just laughed.

I bolted up the stairs, arms full of popcorn, chips, and cookies. Duncan opened the door for me, and help me set everything down. He then

proceeded to pull a huge bottle from his bag. "Oh sweet merciful God, is that..." he turned to look at me "Yes it is Baby cake; I have procured a

beverage for the lady." He had a bottle of "vedel perse" the foulest tasting thing to ever grace the planet. We usually got it from a market in

little Estonia, and it tasted like liquid ass. "Do you have the stuff to go with it?" I asked him. He grinned "one bottle of the cheapest vodka

money can buy milady" mix that Estonian soda with a little cheap vodka and you got a bright green alcoholic beverage that'll burn the lining of

your esophagus clean off, me and Duncan loved it, we called it battery acid cause it juiced you up while getting you fucked up. "Did I mention I

love you?"

"as if you had to tell me" he replied. With our drinks in hand we hopped on my bed in preparation for a night of bloody gore.

I woke up groggy with a really bad case of cotton mouth. Duncan was out cold, snoring rather loudly. He had his arms wrapped around me

tight…too tight. I somehow managed to wrestle out of his arms without waking him; I went downstairs to go get a cup of water. My head was

pounding, so I poured myself a second glass and dropped an alka seltzer in. much better I thought to myself as I gulped it down. I refilled my

glass and went upstairs. I could hear moaning coming from my room. I opened my door and Duncan was thrashing on my bed, his face was

contorted into a look of pain, and I could see his shirt was damp with sweat from where I was standing. Shit. He was having one of his

nightmares. I walked over to him and rubbed his arm. "Duncan its ok, it's Zoe, I'm here, ok." He tensed "Zoe, get out of here!" he was still

dreaming he thrashed trying to push me off of him. "Shhh. Duncan wake up!" I was now on top of him shaking him awake. His eyes shot open,

he looked so scared, then relieved. His eyes seemed to glow in my dark room. "Z-Zoe…" he wrapped his arms around he and crushed me

against his chest. He was shaking, I just ran my fingers through his dark hair waiting for his tremors to subside. I hated seeing him in pain like

this. Ever since we were little kids he'd had nightmares like this, always the same dream. He never gave me the details but I knew that it was

about the night his mom left his dad, and it was how he got all the bruises and scars I found on him when we were 5. he stopped shaking, but

still had me clutched to his chest "Are you ok?" I asked glancing up at him. His breathing had returned to normal "I'll be fine, lets just go back

to sleep." He loosened his grip but still had his arms around me, I rested my head against his chest and ran my fingers through his hair until

he fell asleep and resumed his snoring. To any one on the outside we would have looked like we were lovers in a deep embrace, but I knew

better. Duncan clung to me out of fear, and need of reassurance. His reasons for wanting me around were the same as they were when he

was a little boy. I knew deep down that he'd never feel romantic love for me, and it broke my heart. I closed my eyes and nuzzled my face

against Duncan broad chest and silently cried as he slept.


	4. In his arms

She had her arms wrapped around me. I liked that. I liked her head on my chest; I liked running my fingers through her curls as she slept. How

can one person mean so much, how can they make you care. She's the center of my everything. If I like something I wonder if she'll like it too.

It's like that with everything; every tiny thing has me thinking about her. Zoe.

From day one she had me. When I walked in to that kindergarten class on the first day, she was the first one I saw, even before the teacher, I

saw her, and I think that's when I knew. She was so small, one of the tiniest girls in the class, her thick black hair fell to her shoulders, it was

tied up in a red ribbon, I doubt even she remembers that. She was so pale like a delicate little snowflake with a button nose. She had eyes

soo big and round and blue, the deepest blue, like an ocean you could drown in. I remember thinking to myself that she was what a princess

would look like. When I first saw her she had me. So naturally I had to be mean to her. It was horrible, everyday I would say these terrible

things to her, things that my dad used to say to my mom, but Zoe never cried. Her lip trembled but she held back, she was always so strong. I

couldn't let anyone know I liked her, I had to be tough, "That's how a man acts" I used to tell myself. Even back then I knew I was full of shit.

It wasn't until I saw a bully, Peter Dormstrand, Hit her that I snapped. Seeing him almost twice her size, inflicting pain, kicking her in her ribs, it

reminded me off….I snapped. I whaled on him. I remember the feeling of my small fists making sweet sweet contact with that assholes nose,

it felt amazing. From that day on I knew that I was going to protect Zoe. I knew that if I didn't then I might go insane. I'm over protective, but I care.

Just remembering Zoe as that sweet little girl I remember the day we sat in this very room, drinking juice boxes on her fluffy purple rug. That

day she had seen my bruises. I was mortified, almost certain that she'd run away, or laugh. But not my Zoë, she kissed them. It was

comforting, and shocking to say the least. I didn't move at all while she kissed my arm, frozen in a stage of "what the fuck". But when she was

done I didn't want it to end, so I showed her the rest. I was covered in bruises from head to toe, and had a nasty scar on my hip. All courtesy

of my father. I don't remember what happened that night he went psycho, but I remember the pain. I remember him saying "The pan will make

you strong." What a load of crap. But she took away my pain. That sweet little girl, unafraid, took away my pain. On nights like tonight, when I

have a nightmare of that night, when I see the flashes and feel everything anew, she can always make it go away. I never have nightmares

when she's with me.

Yeah not much has changed, I'm still fucked up and she's still my savior, well some things have changed. For instance I

have added some new words to her vocabulary, I almost pissed the first time she said fuck, I'm chuckling now just thinking about it. Oh shit

that made her move, please stay asleep, please stay asleep. She did just adjusted, successfully throwing off her blanked and moving her leg

over my hip effectively curling herself completely around me. That's another thing that changed. Her eyes once deep and innocent gained an

element of mischief that made you picture her doing wicked things. And her lips were so full and pouty that I just wanted to bite them, I mean

any guy would want to bite them. She went from being an adorable 5 year old to having the body of a sex goddess. She had certainly filled

out enough to make any guy drool, in fact some did. I think I was the reason no guys ever approached her, or made a move in my presence.

For that I felt partially bad about because sometimes I think she felt unattractive because other guys didn't give her attention, but I also felt

fine with it because she is MINE…I mean my friend. It's not that I'm jealous or anything, I just think it's in HER best interest if other guys

just stay away. I mean I know one day she'll date and go off and get married, but I also know that the day she does is the day I'll break.


	5. Maria is a foreign bastard

Me and Duncan basically slept our Sunday away. Well we alternated between eating and sleeping. We should be 500 pounds by now. He stayed over again

got ready for school. I pulled on a pair of Mellies old bell bottoms that I stole and Duncans' once most beloved Social Distortion t-shirt that when he out grew it

I lovingly hacked it into a tank top, much to his disapproval. Just as I was putting on a little eye liner he walked in wearing nothing but a towel and a smirk. "If

you don't get out in three seconds, I'll drop it" he said threateningly with his hand clutched around his towel. "It's not like I'd be able to see anything without a

microscope." With that he pushed me out of my own room. The big naked jerk.

* * *

I was shaving the stubble off my face, using the razor I kept here. I swear I've got more of my stuff here then I do at my own house. I hated shaving, not

because of a blade scraping against my skin, but because it was the one time everyday where I was forced to look at my face in the mirror. I hated the way I

looked; I looked just like him, my father. If someone had us next to each other they'd swear we're twins. I hated everything I had in common with him. The only

things I liked about my appearance were the slight differences I had with him, like my eyes. I had my mothers eyes, green, but even then I had those tiny

flecks of golden color in mine that reminded me of the flecks in his. Then I had my nose, it was crooked from all the fights I've been in, but that was just proof

that I had pieces of me that were violent, like how he wanted. I wish I looked like my brother Dereck. And I never wished I had anything in common with. He

was lucky. He looked like our mom. He had her brown curls and distinctly fine features that some how were masculine on him. When he looked in

the mirror he didn't have to be remembering he was our fathers son.

"Are you done prettying yourself up gorgeous, we've got things to do!"

"I'll be out in a minute princess" I dragged on a pair of dark jeans and threw on one of my old t-shirts that I kept here. And was out the door. Zoe was leaning

against the wall happily doodling on her backpack. "Come on you bum, you take all that time and don't even throw on some lipstick." I smiled. Sassy. We went

out to her car, an old Volkswagen van. It was bright purple, she called it the swaggen' wagon. "Now we have a choice to make sir" she said as she started up

the car. "We can either get coffee and be late for school…..or we can be good little learn-lits and have our caffeine levels drop to a critical level"

"Well we certainly won't be able to focus with our Caffeine levels out of whack!"

"Well it's settled, personal health over the first five minutes of English. Good choice."

* * *

I honestly don't know how me and Duncan made it all the way to our senior year. Whenever we had a class together we always would wind up goofing off the

whole time. And since we always had most of our classes together…. Well lets just say we never made the honor roll.

We were late to first period class, and from the look on Mr. Logan's' potato shaped face he didn't like the fact that we brought caffeine. I guess the old adage

was true, it's one thing to show up late, it's another to show up late with coffee. Me and Duncan were currently doodling away, minding our own business and

that bitch Heather Montgomery was glaring away at us. I hate Heather. Now I was never one to judge by looks, but that glamazoid Heather always looked the

part of the stereotypical high school popular bitch that she was. She had the long platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, lean figure, and various plastic body parts all

wrapped up in a pink designer package. She'd hated me since middle school. She's wanted Duncan since then. She's kind of like a five year old; she wants the

toy she can't have. Well Duncans not a toy, but most people have had him. Yup Duncan's a little Ho. He's been around. My best friend is a man skank and I'm

the untouched virgin. We're such a pair.

* * *

When the bell rang she was waiting for us outside of class with her posse of glamazoid plastic dolls. She grabbed Duncan by the shoulder as he was trying to

walk by. "So Dunky babe. I'm having this like amazing Halloween party next week, and you know, I would really like it if you came. You can even bring her" she

said gesturing to me like I was something aggressively unpleasant like a puddle of barf. "Umm, I don't know, I'll think ab-" she cut him off and moved in close

"Come on Dunky, I promise we'll have a lot of fun" she said very suggestively as she pulled him in even closer. "Umm I'll think about it, but we need to go to

class now!" he grabbed my arm and booked. "Oh my god Zo, I need purell, I'm covered in whore!" I laughed at him, Come on 'Dunky' let's get to class"

* * *

The day passed slowly as it always did. Class without Duncan was like trying to understand reality TV. pointless and time consuming. At least this class I had

with Maria. Possibly the only friend I had other than Duncan. We didn't hang out much because this girl never stopped.

Maria had just moved here fromPortugal 2 years ago with her older brother Manuel. They were from the poorer part of the island Terceira in the Azores, so her

and her brother, him 19 and her

15 moved here by themselves in hopes of a better life. And they were living one. Maria was captain of the debate team, on national honor society, and

president of the theater club while juggling two part time jobs and being in the running for valedictorian. I don't think she ever slept. "So, are you going to go

to the blondinha's party next week" she asked me in her thick accent. "I don't know, she only invited me because she knows Duncan won't go if I don't go."

Maria giggled and muttered under her breath "She wants the D"

"So what, she's a puta, use her for the free liquor, and have a good time with your Mr. sexy friend."

"Maria, are you just encouraging me to go so you get to parade around with Duncan"

"Sim, senhora, how did you get to be this smart, I tell you I am the good influence, no? Plus maybe if I get senhor sexuality away from you another man may

approach you without fear and you might finally get a date. Maybe someone like him" she pointed to Kyle Thomas, one of the glams in Heathers posse, and

strangely the nicest. He sat near me and Maria and occasionally talked to us. He was actually pretty hilarious and fun to be around, it didn't hurt that he was

gorgeous. He had a thick mane of fluffy blonde curls that'd make any 80's heart throb jealous, a surfers build, and big brown puppy eyes. Yup too many

attractive people exist.

"Yeah, that'll happen when pigs fly."

"Hey I like chicken and bacon, a flying pig would not be a bad thing. You'll never know if you don't try."

Maria, what do you mean try?...Maria what are you doing!" she was scooting closer to Kyles seat. She was whispering something to him. Ok. Let the panic

attack begin. It was a few moments before Maria Scooted back with the biggest shit eating grin I have ever seen on a persons face. She was five foot nothing

of little dark crazy." What did you say?!" her only response "yoooooooull seeeee!" all I could do was mumble "fucking immigrant"

The class ended and just when I was trying to leave he was tapping me on the shoulder, Kyle. He looked nervous. "uhmm hey Zoë, I just wanted to ask you a

question. Uhmm do you like movies?" was he blushing? "uh, yea, I like movies" he looked like he was ready to flee. "Uhm good, I was just wondering, and you

can definitely say no, but uh….would you wanttogooutonadatewithme?" what. "can you repeat that. He looked embarrassed. "uh yea. Uhm do you want to go

out on a date with me? You can say no, but yea, was wondering." I could feel the blush creep up to my cheeks. I tried to respond but just incoherently

mumbled. It was like Maria's que to come in. "yes she would love to go on a date with you, here's her number, text her the details" Maria handed him a scrap

of paper with my info on it. He smiled. "ok, great. I'll see you then.'

I had a date. My first date. With a gorgeous guy. So why could all I think about was Duncan. "hey, Maria what did you say to him?" she smiled "That you and

Duncan got in a fight and he wasn't going to be hovering over you anymore." Me and Duncan in a fight. We might be when he finds out.

* * *

_**Authors Bit**_

_**ok, so i feel like this chapter was a piece of poop on a stick, but it's just setting some things up.**_

_**i'm sorry if you guys dislike it, and sorry it took awhile. i rewrote it but it still feels wrong. but i had to put something up.**_

_**anyway**_

_**Love and Chocolate**_

_**~A. Roma**_


	6. Swinging with Crappacinos

School was over and me and Duncan were trying to decide what to do today. So we wound up just hanging around 'the scandalavian tea

room' possibly the only cool place we knew of remotely near town. Not many people knew about it. It was an old Victorian house that served

as a specialty shop and coffee lounge. Everything from incense to cappuccinos. Maria worked there part time and Me and Duncan often hung

out there because it was just so unique. It was like the breeding ground for the artists of the town. They had open mic nights and sometimes

plays performed, but by people with real talent. I would spend hours here in the summer just sketching away hanging out with Maria or just

waiting for Duncan to get out of his summer job at the lumber yard. The tea room was owned by Mellie's friend Catherine, the sweetest lady to

ever grace the planet, and who coincidently was thought of as the town witch. Some people were crazy. Duncan was browsing some of the

old books Catherine kept around for patrons to read as they drank their coffee. I was waiting for Maria to make me my Iced chai and Duncans

"Crapaccino" as I Dubbed it. He took it with like 20 sugars. Maria was ringing me up and asked "Why haven't you told him yet?"

"How do you know I haven't told him yet? He could just be taking it really, really,really,really, well."

She gave me an mhmmm look "Yeah, super crazy overprotective man-beast is sooooo cool with you going out with one of Heathers possum."

"It's posse Maria, and I'm going to tell him, it's my life and I get to do what I want. Duncan will just have to deal. The big baby." Just then he

walked over.

"Hello my foxy lady" he said to Maria, she mock purred at him, he turned to me "So where do you want to go?"

"Uhmm the park is down the street from here. We can have our drinks on the swings."

"sounds like a plan….RACE YOU!"

I paid for our coffees and was out the door after him giggling down the road.

* * *

We had spent hours at the park, so long that the sun was starting to set and an autumn chill was in the air. Duncan was happily rocking on

the swing, smiling, cheeks red from the chill, he looked like he did when he was a little boy, so innocent so beautiful. I drew my thin grey

sweater around my shoulders in a futile attempt to draw in some warmth. As if noticing my discomfort, Duncan dismounted from the swings

and suggested we go back to the car. We were walking up the street arm in arm "That was fun" he said as we hopped in my car "we should

do it again tomorrow" I looked down almost guiltily at my steering wheel. "I can't tomorrow." He looked confused. "why, is it going to rain" by

now I was biting my lip nervously " I don't think so, it's just I have a date…" I looked over to see his reaction, but he just looked kind of blank

faced, like he was processing it. "oh" was all he said. He was silent the whole car ride until I pulled up to his house. "Who are you going out

with?" It was an innocent enough question "Kyle, Kyle Thomas." I could see Duncans tense, he snapped his face towards me "You mean that

douche, you're joking, right." That pissed me off "No, why would I joke about that. And he's not a douche, he's really nice!"

"Oh, don't be stupid Zoe, you know how he treats girls, he's only being nice to you to get into your pants, don't be a moron."

"Don't say that, he's been a perfect gentleman to me, did you think he might actually like me rather than just think of me as a piece of tail."

"No, Zoe, he's just another asshole, just trust me, don't go out with him, he'll just wind up hurting you." The last bit sounded too much like a

command. "You know what, I like him, I'm going to go out with him, he deserves a chance. I don't want to hear your opinion, if you don't like it

shut up."

"Fine, if you don't want my opinion then I guess I'll just go away!"

He slammed the door and stormed into his house. I did it I stood up to Duncan, so why did I feel so awful. 'He was just concerned' said the

voice in my head. No he wasn't he was just trying to be a controlling little asshole. Whatever. It's done.

* * *

I bolted up the stairs to my room, slamming. the door behind me. She was going out with someone else. She _liked_ someone else. My head was

pounding and it felt like there was a knife in my chest. I ran to my bathroom feeling like I was about to throw up. I stood there gripping onto

my sink trying to keep myself from tumbling over. I saw my reflection in the mirror, disheveled mess, she doesn't care about you, I said to

myself although deep down I knew it was a lie. She doesn't want you. She should be yours but you failed. You failed. You FAILED. YOU FAILED!

I punched the mirror shattering it, not feeling any pain. And I looked at my shattered reflection. And I saw myself, the man in a thousand

pieces, and in that reflection for the briefest moment I thought I saw my eyes glow…then I fell into the blackness.

* * *

I woke up in a strange room with strange, sickeningly sweet smells. I felt the satin sheets rub against my legs, I was in bed, naked, not good.

I looked over and there was heather, lying there asleep and naked. And that's when I knew. I fucked up.


	7. The Wolf Man Cometh

It had been a week since I saw or talked to Duncan. Marias' joke to get Kyle to ask me out had come true. And I missed him so bad. We'd

never gone this long without talking and I couldn't bear it.

My date with Kyle was what I was hoping for, awkward, normal. We went to the movies and saw a completely over budget romantic comedy

with an over simplified story line. We ate popcorn. He drove me home in his 'way too nice for high school car, he even kissed me on the cheek

when he walked me to my door. It was simple and uncomplicated. But I couldn't enjoy any of it because the whole time Duncan was all I

thought of. His face kept flashing in my head, there had been real anger mingled with something like pain in his eyes during our fight. It

haunted me.

The only way I got news about Duncan was through Maria, and according to her he just seemed sad. Sad and quiet. But she did know that he

was going to be at Heathers party tonight. I was going with Kyle but I was probably more excited at the prospect of seeing Duncan.

* * *

I couldn't stand it. A week of not talking to her. I had never felt so alone. Everyday I was forced to see her with _him._ She held _his _hand in the

hallways. _He_ kissed her cheek before and after class. Everyday I had to watch them, and every night I took my frustration out on Heather in

her bed, she didn't care, she liked it, which sickened me. Everything now a days sickened me. My headache grew worse and worse and my

black outs grew more frequent. I wasn't in the mood to go to Heathers party tonight, but I knew I would, because She would be there. My

Zoe, 'No, _his _Zoe" the voice in my head said. He had Zoe, and what did I have? An iced hearted bitch that used me for my body. Every night I

went there, and after I always felt sick. One night I even ran to Heathers bathroom and retched. She was completely oblivious. Heather was

oblivious about most things, she was completely self centered. The only thing she did notice about other people was if they weren't paying

enough attention to her. And I apparently I never was. She would always be hanging around me, or on me. She disgusted me

* * *

Me and Maria were at my house getting ready. She was going as a sexy nurse, she was going to go as a sexy maid, but thought it was too

demeaning, at least a nurse had medical training. Maria had picked out my outfit, a belly dancer costume that was the most revealing thing I

have ever had on my body. Its dark clinging material wrapped around my hips in a sultry hug, and exposed my curves making me look like

some foreign seductress. Maria did my make up, making my eyes dark and smoky, adding to the mystique of my costume. With my hair all

teased and large black curls falling down almost to my hips and my costume and make up, I looked like a different person, I looked sexy. This

could be a special night for me, a night where I would get to be the bell of the ball and dance the night away with my prince. A night of

fairytale magic.

the party was awesome. For an evil bitch Heather did know how to throw a good Halloween party, even if it was only the 29th. The house

looked great, decked out with purple and black streamers, some proper creepy lighting, plenty of booze, and something that I guess passed

as 'good music' to the majority of the people here, but at least everyone was having a good time. Me and Kyle were on the dance floor, he

was dressed as shaggy from Scooby doo. And we were having a great time, and for the first time in a long time I didn't think of Duncan, and I

just had a good time dancing the night away with my super hot date.

* * *

I didn't want to go to Heathers stupid party with all the stupid people I didn't care about, but I knew she was going to be there, and I couldn't

pass up the opportunity to see her. I had become something of a stalker in the last few days. But I couldn't help it, it's like I wasn't in control.

I showed up late to be sure she would be there when I arrived. And I snuck through the throngs of people hoping to find her, but instead of

finding Zoe, Heather found me. "Hey Babylovely, how're you doing." She was dressed as what I can only assume was supposed to be a slutty

cat, but was just black lingerie with kitty ears, and she was completely sloshed. "you wanna' come upstairs and makesome noise" she slurred.

She saw I wasn't paying attention to her "Oh, I See, your'jus' here to see your lil'slut." That got my attention "Don't you dare ever call her that

again, or I swear I'll make you regret it!" this just pissed her off "Why are'ya' always after her, she's nothing, she's just a fucking nothing.

She's a little bitch who doesn't deserve you."

"and who do you think 'deserves' me Heather, you" she nodded away, not hearing any of the sarcasm in my statement. "Come on baby, come

on up stairs with me." She was swaying now, obviously too drunk to even stand. "How about no 'Baby', not now, not ever again." With that

she tried to throw her drink on me, but she didn't realize her cup was empty and just wound up chucking plastic, then she stormed off, what a

fucking moron.

That's when I saw her. Her costume clung to her just right, the skirt falling just below her belly button. I could see the milky white curves of

her generous hips as the swayed to the music. Her top was nothing more than a bra with little bells on it exposing her cleavage. Her eyes had

dark makeup around them making them look like there was something michievious and mysterious about her. And her thick curly hair fell down

to just above her hips, black as ink like the halo of a fallen angel, she danced as if she was the only one in the room. The sway of her hips so

tempting and alluring. I stood there dumbly staring from across the room at her with my mouth hanging open. That magnificent creature could

not be Zoe, not my Zoe who still wore purple kitty cotton undies. Not my Zoe, the timid virgin who blushed profusely at her romance novels. It

couldn't be her, but there she was so sexy, and there for the taking. I ran my hand over my face. This was too much to process. It was then

that I noticed I wasn't the only one staring. Guys from all over the room were staring at her, and from the looks on their faces they weren't

just thinking that she was a good dancer. I pictured ripping their eyes out, I'm not a particularly blood thirsty person, but the thought made

me smile. The song ended and she was scanning the room, obviously looking for someone, afraid she'd see me, I saw a werewolf mask on

the table next to me, not caring or knowing who it belonged to I quickly yanked it on my face. I looked over to see if she saw me, she seemed

to have given up on whoever she was looking for and turned to talk to the person next to her, It was Maria. I had to chuckle, Maria had her

plump little body crammed into a very tight and short nurse costume, she looked good, but she was still an oompa loompa. At least she was

with Maria and not that jack off Kyle. Why wasn't he with her? Did they fight? Were they not going to see each other anymore? All I know is

that if he isn't dancing with her, then I most definitely am.

* * *

Kyle had gone to get us drinks, like 20 minutes ago, but I was having so much fun just dancing with Maria I honestly didn't care. I felt a pat on

my shoulder, and this guy in a dirty sweatshirt and a werewolf mask held out his hand as if to ask me to dance. Eh, why the hell not, if my

date was neglecting me, might as well.

Me and wolf man danced for so long I lost track of time. Even Maria had wandered off. It felt like it was just the two of us dancing. It was like

the fairytale moment I was hoping for, just with the wrong prince. I was so lost in my moment with wolf man that I didn't even notice some

random creep grab me from behind. "Ey' quit hoggin' er' we all want a turn." He was a big sweaty lug who smelt of alcohol, he was obviously

piss drunk. He held me close to his sweaty body "Come 'ere princess, your'gonna' dance with me now, and maybe later you can dance on my

lap." Almost to emphasize his statement I could feel something hard in his pants poking me in the back, I started to panic and began thrashing

to get out of his hold, I wound up head butting him in the jaw. He yelped in pain and dropped me. I split his lip. There was already a line of

blood dripping down his chin. He was furious "You fucking little bitch.." he made a move like he was going to hit me, but something like a growl

distracted him. He looked over only quick enough to see wolf mans fist make direct contact with his nosed. There was blood pouring

everywhere, and wolf man just kept hitting him. I was going to be sick. I needed to get away. I bolted up the stairs looking for the bathroom

so I could retch. I opened the first door I saw, and walked in without realizing there was a couple in there on the bed. It took me a moment to

realize what was going on. And the I recognized who the couple was. It was Kyle and Heather. In a sweaty heap on the bed. She looked over

and smiled at me, and I retched. That's when everything went black.

* * *

_**Authors bit**_

_**every time i type "authors bit" i always mis-type it as "authors butt" so here's my butt guys, hope you like it!**_

_**ABYWHO, how'd you like this chapter guys, your feed back means the world to me. tell me what you like, tell me what you want in. I'll listen to every suggestion! pinkie swear!**_

_**Welcome aboard to "Minecrafted Pocky" thanks for hopping on our little band wagon, and thank you very much for your comment!**_

_**Love and Nutella**_


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